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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25358011">Parades Go By</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/disapparater/pseuds/infinitevariety'>infinitevariety (disapparater)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Summer Omens [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asexual Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Fluff and Humor, Genderfluid Crowley (Good Omens), Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Pride, Summer Omens (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:34:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>738</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25358011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/disapparater/pseuds/infinitevariety</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Crowley and Aziraphale reminisce while watching the London Pride Parade.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Summer Omens [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1836280</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Parades Go By</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the Summer Omens prompt PRIDE and originally posted <a href="https://infinitevariety.tumblr.com/post/623980248543969280/pride">here</a>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Crowley can hear the parade coming from a long way off. By the time he comes out of the back room, Aziraphale is already at the one window they can still see out of. The one window not covered in flags.</p>
<p>There are stripes everywhere, of every conceivable colour combination. Crowley is sure Aziraphale hasn't left out a single flag, and any that wouldn't fit in the windows are hanging from bookshelves.</p>
<p>It's lucky they get such a good view of the parade. And in this case lucky of course means miraculous. Crowley doesn't feel too guilty. The bookshop is only a short detour from Regent Street.</p>
<p>They've agreed they won't attend, preferring a quiet celebration with just the two of them. Best to leave the fantastically extravagant celebrations to the humans—they're really good at it.</p>
<p>Crowley stands next to Aziraphale at the window, their hands entwined, as the parade begins to pass by. A shock of colour and noise and joy.</p>
<p>When he sees a sign that says <i>The first pride was a riot</i>, Crowley speaks quite without meaning to.</p>
<p>"I was there, you know."</p>
<p>"Where?" asks Aziraphale.</p>
<p>"Stonewall."</p>
<p>Aziraphale doesn’t say anything, but turns to focus his attention on Crowley.</p>
<p>“After I called off the job when you gave me the flask—after what you said… I just needed to get away for a while. Get lost.”</p>
<p>“I remember,” whispers Aziraphale. “You sent me a note. Told me not to worry.”</p>
<p>Crowley nods. “And there’s no better place than New York to get lost.”</p>
<p>They both stare out at the crowds, but Crowley isn’t really seeing them.</p>
<p>“The Stonewall Inn was a haven, even for me. However I was feeling, whatever I wanted to wear—nobody there cared. It was so easy to get some peace and quiet.” He chuckles. “Though the place was rarely peaceful and <i>never</i> quiet.”</p>
<p>“But you were there… that night?” asks Aziraphale.</p>
<p>Crowley nods again. Not sure how to put words to something he’s never shared with anyone before.</p>
<p>“I knew something was going to happen that night, one way or the other. I could taste it in the air. I didn’t want to intervene—as much as I fit in there, it was the human’s fight, if they wanted it. That night, they did.” He pauses, feeling the weight of it just as he had back then. “And I <i>didn’t</i> intervene. Didn’t change the course of their own choices.”</p>
<p>“But?”</p>
<p>“<i>But</i>… I didn’t want their choice to stand up and push back to be for nothing. So, I tipped the scales. A little. A smidgen. Just enough to make their fight count.”</p>
<p>They are silent for a few moments, and Crowley fancies he can feel Aziraphale’s disapproval.</p>
<p>“I don’t regret it,” he states firmly, pointing out of the window.</p>
<p>“I’m glad you were there.” Aziraphale smiles up at him softly.</p>
<p>Crowley nods. “Okay, then.”</p>
<p>They watch the parade for a while longer. The people, the colours, the happy cheers.</p>
<p>“I never used to be fond of rainbows,” says Aziraphale.</p>
<p>Crowley just hums, knowing Aziraphale will be going <i>somewhere</i> with this.</p>
<p>“After the flood, I mean. They were beautiful, but to me they never represented the celebration of joy they do now.” He takes a breath. Smiles a little. “I happened to have found myself in San Francisco sometime in the mid 1970s,” he carries on casually. “Briefly met a fellow called Gilbert. Lovely chap.”</p>
<p>This time Crowley’s hum has the distinct uplift of a question.</p>
<p>“He had a bit of a project going on at the time. A symbol to design, something to represent pride and love for the community. All I did was mention how soft and fierce the colours of rainbows could be. Didn’t even really think much of it at the time.”</p>
<p>He turned to look up at Crowley, a dampness to his eyes. Crowley smiled at him.</p>
<p>“Rainbows are beautiful, Crowley, but they meant so little in the face of all the lives that were lost. And sometimes, I felt like people were drowning all over again. But I’m so glad my offhand comment could help inspire this.” He motions to the flags in the windows and around the room. “They took those colours and ran, and now there are <i>so many</i> different rainbows.”</p>
<p>Crowley slips an arm around Aziraphale’s shoulders and pulls him close. Holds him tight.</p>
<p>Outside the riot of rainbows continues by.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Come say hi on <a href="https://infinitevariety.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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